" the what now?!" i voiced out my thoughts.

the man dropped his dramatic posture as he repeated his words. " you are in something called afterlife. at least the majority of people here call it that." he said, his tone nonchalant as if he was talking about his breakfast.

'this is afterlife...' i thought as i looked around. the surroundings appeared in my vision, i was in a cemetery with a bunch of graves around me. many of them were either dug out or destroyed completely, other than that it was barren land with a bunch of humungous rocks surrounding the graveyard. the rocks were so big and was placed around the cemetery, wherever i saw there were rocks.

' it is not what i would imagine after hearing the word afterlife.' i thought slightly disappointed.

the man seeing me look around, sad as he shook his head. " don't take it too literal, it is just a name."

hearing his voice i turned back to him and asked, " you don't believe in it?" i asked.' then what was that dramatic gesture.' at my question the man furrowed hid golden brows as he said," not really, i just said the before in that way to see what reaction you would make."

"why?" i asked.

"because you could be lying before to make me lower my guard." he said simply.

" and why would i do that?" i asked, trying to find what made this man so cautious.

" ..." he was silent for a while," enough about that, you proved to me that you are a newbie...what is your name?" he brushed away the topic.

i also didn't want pry further so i got up from the ground and dusted of my clothes, as i did that i noticed a few details, i was wearing the same clothes i wore on that day in the school, a black windbreaker and brown trousers.

another thing was there was no sign of any injury on my body, even though i was likely to be shot, and the last thing was the box behind me.' it is a coffin.' i thought, solidifying the fact that i have died.

"hmm...my name his Ethan wood, you can call me Ethan." i said somberly as i put out my hand.

the man seeing that i was going for a handshake, hurriedly said as he folded his arms. " i don't do handshakes...and the name's Midas." he said as he took a step backward.

at that moment two thoughts emerged in my mind.' what? did you name yourself?', 'you just don't want to dirty your golden hands with my hands don't you?' but i swallowed by words.

" cough, cough," the man coughed golden dust flying out his mouth, as he asked a question," so, what are you gonna do now?"

"..." i was silent.' ....what do i do now? huh.' .' i can't think of any, i am in a unfamiliar place, even if i am dead seeing that the man was cautious before i can conclude that there are dangers here more terrifying than simply dying...so the most optimal option is...' i snapped my head in Midas's direction meeting his dollar eyes. '...to stick to him and survive.' i thought.

Midas's could see clearly where this was going and was going to refuse before he had an idea.

" hmm...sir if you could please-" "ok" he said cutting me off.

"huh?" suddenly i had an ominous sensation.

"i will help you..." the man said with a savage smile.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

'...it seems like my bad luck followed me here.' i thought.

"...if you help me." he continued.

i slightly backed away as i asked,

"what help?"

at my question he just smiled and started to tell a story.

*****************************************************************

* MIDAS POV*

(before meeting Ethan )

"In a barren land that stretched far as one could see, there was a golden statue sitting on a rock, it wore nothing but a rag, with It's sculpted body shining in the sun. Then there was a sound, it was the sound of fighting and the golden statue awaken from it's slumber raised it's golden hands to caste a blinding light to eliminate evil. " let there be light! Hahaha" He said as he laughed." As I saw the new draft of my autobiography, I couldn't help but be proud about it. ' I am getting better at my writing.' I thought as I sat I side my hole that I dug. ' Although there was no evil to be punished by me, autobiography should not be all truth now does it?' I thought when I suddenly felt a twitch near my chest. I looked down to see a wound on my golden body that I deliberately caused disappeared. Soon after it was gone I took out my recorder.

" Day 354: i have reached the barren lands to the northeast of afterlife mentioned in the rumors, now I have to search for the graveyard where the map is hidden. if I find it, Then the so called priceless treasure Will be mine. hahahaha...cough...Midas out." I put down the recorder as I picked up my back pack or something that looked like it, But it contained everything I needed, a shovel, gloves, etc. Afterall I am going to find a treasure. This treasure is supposed to be priceless according to rumors circulating from last month or so. As I am a greedy man who dies before saying no to a treasure hunt, I set on a journey like many others. ' but I think I am in the lead.' I thought as I stepped forward toward the cemetery.

It wasn't far, I reached it in a few days. And I saw the cemetery's state. There were already many graves dug out , there was almost nothing left. ' how the hell did those guys get here that fast!' I thought astonished. I hurriedly put down my bag as I searched for any grave that was missed by them.

" ahhhh shit." I said as I sat down with my back to the huge rocks that surrounded this graveyard.

Just then.

BANG! I heard a sound,

' hmm' i snapped my head towards the direction. Of the sound.

There was nothing there. just as I turned back my head, i saw something.

Suddenly I saw something outlining itself before it became completely visible.

'Ahhh' my mouth opened wide as I saw what it was.

A grave. And it appeared out of nowhere.

' I must have activated a mechanism with my brilliant mind, hahaha.' i laughed but only on the inside, because who knows who was watching me right now. It was better to be cautious.

I excitedly picked up the gloves and the shovel as I marched forward to the grave. It was well made with a stone tablet mentioning the name of deceased and all.

I moved my eyes closer as I read the name on it .

" here lies Ethan wood..." I murmured. There was a few lines below it which I quickly glimpse through before I started digging.

' thank you Ethan wood, whoever you are.' I silently thanked him in mind.

***************************

BACK TO ETHAN'S POV.

Midas told a story , about a rumor , a treasure ,and how he needed his help to find it , etc I didn't understand many things but I figured out the reason he dug my grave.

' he thought He Activated a mechanism that made my grave appear, but maybe the moment I was dead and buried ..it appeared here.' I thought that it made sense.

And he also told me that once he started digging the stone tablet disappeared.

' Now that is strange...hmm maybe it can't stay in here for too long.' I thought that it made sense.

And after the story ended , he said to me.

" you see, I need your help to find the treasure."

" What can I do? " I argued.

" I didn't finish..." He said as he let his hand into his rag hanging at his waist. My brows furrowed at the scene as he pulled out a pie of paper from there.

And he handed it to me.

"...I found this before I found you." He said.

"..." I looked at the paper and him with wide eyes.

" you can bury me again." I grumbled not wanting to touch the filthy paper...even if down there it was golden, it was still filthy.

Hmph.

Seeing my reaction Midas snorted

" This was found in your grave surely there you would like to know what it is...maybe it is related to you, because I can't see anything on it." He said trying to convince me.

' hmmm. Related to me, what could it be.' I was curious but hesitant . But at last I decided to take it .

' ...maybe I will cut off the hand later...if I can do that in the Afterlife.' I thought as I looked at the paper.

I could see what it was, a map but it was crudely drawn.

It had a X mark and everything. 'This must be the map he searched for...but only I can see it why?' And I soon found my answer.

At the bottom of the page I saw a string of letters.

It said.

" To daddy." And my face froze.